Vahe Hovanessian
Vahe Hovanessian was a candidate seeking an at-large seat on the Burbank Unified School District Board of Education in California. He ran against one incumbent and four fellow candidates in the primary election on February 24, 2015. He did not receive enough votes to advance to the general election.[1][2]
Biography
Hovanessian was born and raised in Burbank and attended and graduated from the Burbank Unified School District. He is an attorney, a member of the Burbank Noon Rotary and a volunteer with the Burbank Public Library Literacy Services Department, the PTA and Boosters. Hovanessian has also served on the Burbank Unified School District's facilities committee, the Burbank Water and Power Board and the Burbank Planning Board. He ran for election to the Burbank City Council four times without success before running for a seat on the Burbank Unified Board of Education. Hovanessian earned his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California at Los Angeles and his J.D. from San Fernando Valley College of Law at the University of La Verne. He and his wife have two children.[3][4]
Elections
2015
Three of the five seats on the Burbank Unified School District Board of Education were up for general election on April 14, 2015. A primary election was held on February 24, 2015.
Incumbents Dave Kemp and Ted Bunch did not file to run for re-election, leaving incumbent Roberta Grande Reynolds to run against the following five challengers in the primary election: Armond Aghakhanian, Steve Ferguson, Vahe Hovanessian, Gregory Sousa and Jesse Tangkhpanya.
Grande, Aghakhanian, Ferguson and Sousa received the most votes in the primary election. Grande and Ferguson won election to the board outright as they received more than 50 percent of the ballots cast in the primary. Aghakhanian and Sousa had to advance to the general election on April 14, 2015.
Aghakhanian defeated Sousa in the general election to gain a seat on the board.
Results
| Burbank Unified School District, At-Large Primary Election, 4-year term, 2015 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Roberta Grande Reynolds Incumbent |
24.3% | 5,362 | |
| Nonpartisan | Steve Ferguson |
23.1% | 5,107 | |
| Nonpartisan | Armond Aghakhanian |
16.8% | 3,710 | |
| Nonpartisan | Gregory Sousa |
13.8% | 3,049 | |
| Nonpartisan | Vahe Hovanessian | 13.5% | 2,971 | |
| Nonpartisan | Jesse Tangkhpanya | 8.5% | 1,886 | |
| Total Votes | 22,085 | |||
| Source: Burbank City Clerk's Office, "Final Results are Tabulated for Burbank’s 2015 Primary Nominating Election," accessed March 9, 2015 | ||||
Funding
Hovanessian reported $4,859.00 in contributions and $4,821.92 in expenditures to the Burbank City Clerk’s Office, which left his campaign with $37.08 as of February 18, 2015.[5]
Endorsements
Hovanessian received endorsements from the following organizations and elected officials:[6][7][8]
- Armenian National Committee of America
- Burbank Mayor David Gordon
- Burbank City Council Member Jess Talamantes
- Burbank City Council Member Gary Bric
- Burbank Unified School District Board of Education Member Larry Applebaum
- Burbank Unified School District Board of Education Member Charlene Tabet
- Burbank Unified School District Board of Education Member Dave Kemp
- Burbank Unified School District Board of Education Member Ted Bunch
Hovanessian also received endorsements from several retired public officials and community leaders. A full list of his supporters can be found here.[7]
Campaign themes
2015
Burbank Leader questionnaire
On December 22, 2014, the Burbank Leader published a candidate profile of Hovanessian. That profile contained the following questionnaire. The Burbank Leader's questions are bolded to provide clarification. The full candidate profile can be found here.[9]
| “ | Have you run for office previously?
This is my first run for Board of Education. I unsuccessfully ran for Burbank City Council in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007. Why are you running? To benefit all BUSD students and the district by keeping schools strong and providing even greater opportunities when possible. I have been involved in school district business over the last five years on the School Facilities Oversight Committee. Over a decade of service including Planning Board and Water & Power Board provide extensive experience in analysis and budget matters that will be beneficial in the District’s decision-making process involving the scarce dollars for our schools. What is the most important issue facing BUSD? The most important issues are reducing class sizes, expanding programs and enhancing employee compensation all in an extremely limited budget environment. The District must adjust accordingly. My experience will provide constructive, positive and beneficial contributions during deliberation toward building consensus. I will listen, learn and question with the goal of benefiting our kids by maximizing every dollar. Name a recent issue or policy the current BUSD board has decided that you agree with. Why? I agree with the Board’s support of the Measure S Bond because of our need to rehabilitate our aging infrastructure, to provide 21st century classroom technology and facilities needed to keep our students competitive into the future, and to augment safety and security of our campuses. The bond is an investment in the future of our schools and our students. Name a recent issue or policy the current BUSD board has decided that you disagree with. Why? We have not moved fast enough to take the Measure S dollars available for energy conservation. Every month that passes without installing readily available technologies costs our district precious general fund dollars that would be better invested in our classrooms. What is the best thing about how BUSD is currently run? The best thing about how the BUSD is currently run is the teamwork atmosphere that benefits the district. The Board has spirited deliberations and has been relatively cohesive without individual members losing their identities. I know that I can work well in such an environment of teamwork based upon a common goal to benefit all our kids. What is the worst thing about how BUSD is currently run? I think that some difficulties may have arisen from the state of flux amongst the highest ranking administrative positions. In the past few years, the District has had four different superintendents and an even greater number of assistant superintendents. As a result of interim staff, slower administration response to matters has resulted. At this time, there is a lack of institutional memory at the highest levels of administration. What programs or areas do you believe deserve priority or additional spending? Why? Safety upgrades to our schools must be made to address issues when identified. I support incremental movement toward full implementation of the District’s arts for all plan. I support more vocational opportunities for interested middle and high school kids. I support maintaining a committed focus for using technology as an instructional tool to better prepare our kids for their future. What qualities should BUSD's next superintendent have? The next superintendent should have a strong instructional background, and a hopefully a strong business background. I would seek someone who has a defined educational vision and ability to achieve goals. The next superintendent should be technologically fluent and an excellent communicator. I would expect the next superintendent to be transparent, well spoken and knowledgeable about the position, our kids and our district.[10] |
” |
Candidate website
Hovanessian highlighted the following issues on his campaign website:
| “ |
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” |
| —Vahe Hovanessian's campaign website (2015)[11] | ||
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Vahe + Hovanessian + Burbank + Unified + School + District"
See also
- Burbank Unified School District, California
- Burbank Unified School District elections (2015)
- First openly gay official elected to Burbank school board, two candidates advance to April election
- April school board elections in California and South Dakota see increase in voter turnout (April 15, 2015)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Burbank City Clerk's Office, "Candidates Information," accessed January 13, 2015
- ↑ Burbank City Clerk's Office, "2015 Election Results," accessed February 24, 2015
- ↑ Burbank Leader, "Burbank school board race heats up," December 2, 2014
- ↑ Vahe Hovanessian for Burbank School Board 2015, "About Vahe," accessed January 15, 2015
- ↑ Burbank City Clerk's Office, "VAHE HOVANESSIAN," accessed February 23, 2015
- ↑ Smart Voter, "Vahe Hovanessian: Candidate for Board Member; Burbank Unified School District," accessed February 11, 2015
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Vahe Hovanessian for Burbank School Board 2015, "Vahe's Endorsements," accessed February 11, 2015
- ↑ Burbank Leader, "Candidates win fans in high places," January 27, 2015
- ↑ Burbank Leader, "BUSD Candidate: Vahe Hovanessian," December 22, 2014
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Vahe Hovanessian for Burbank School Board 2015, "Goals," accessed January 15, 2015
| 2015 Burbank Unified School District Elections | |
| Los Angeles County, California | |
| Election date: | Primary election - February 24, 2015 General election - April 14, 2015 |
| Candidates: | At-large: • Incumbent, Roberta Grande Reynolds • Armond Aghakhanian • Steve Ferguson • Vahe Hovanessian • Gregory Sousa • Jesse Tangkhpanya |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
